Comments:

From: eden8293@bellsouth.net [mailto:eden8293@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2005 4:01 PM
To: ATR-Real Estate Workshop
Subject: Real Estate is Competative

> Help here is a response to an article written in the Florida Times Union. REAL ESTATE IS COMPETATIVE!. We need your help!!!!!!

Thanks
Eden Jordan
> From: Eden Jordan <eden8293@bellsouth.net>
> Date: 2005/10/16 Sun PM 02:52:06 EDT
> To: <mgreen@nefar.org>
> CC: <edenjordan@remax.net>
> Subject: "Hungry agents get the home"
>
> >
>
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> As a successful (personally and professionally) Realtor with just shy of 8 years at RE/MAX Specialists in Orange Park, I feel it is time to tell the truth about what goes on behind the scenes of the real estate business. The real estate market has changed drastically due to the awesome market, opportunities, and especially the internet. I do not think that the public understands the complexities of our business. There are over a million Realtors in the USA. Brokers now have to be in the agent business, not the Real Estate business. The statistics show that 10% of the realtors do 90% of the business. My cost of doing business has doubled in the last 5 years. No longer do you just put a house in the MLS and a sign in the yard. The consumer wants more.
>
> Agents are hungry alright. It costs a fortune to be successful in this business. You need to have a presence, knowledge and expertise in your field to survive. I spend over $60,000 per year = $5,000 per month in advertising, (personal and national) education, franchise fees, desk fees, internet referral fees, association dues, licensed assistants, gas, automobile, errors and omissions insurance, cell phones, fax machines, postage, color copies and other costs. In an age of branding, and internet I have to sell houses to keep up with this expense. This does not include my health insurance, social security tax, unpaid vacations, working while sick or in the hospital having a baby, overtime, retirement accounts and other personal expenses & personal time that it costs to run my BUSINESS! I have spent over 20 days, this year getting my Graduate Realtor Institute designation and other education so I can be the best Realtor I can be. I have four year college degree and over !
350
> career, real estate transactions to date.
>
> I do not get paid if a buyer walks away from a closing, does not buy one of them many homes I showed him, buys a for sale buy owner, give investment advice or for the time I take defending my clients when a deal goes bad. Every other industry gets paid for their time upfront for their services. Half of the deal is negotiating, contracts, waiting for repairmen, appraisers & inspectors, negotiating values on appraisals & repairs, and having a team of vendors to get the job done. Sure you sell your own home, but I can also be my own attorney, contractor, diagnose myself and do my own taxes. I choose not to do this because I want a true educated professional. I feel people cut their commissions because they do not really know what it costs to run their real estate business.
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> Real Estate agents have the lowest approval rating along with attorneys and car sales people. We have all had great attorneys and car sales people. My approval is at 99% and I have customer surveys to prove it. I work on a 7 days a week, 15 hour day schedule available to my customers. You reach me while I am with my kids on nights, weekends, holidays, sick days, vacation days. No other business has their door open to the public like this. I think it is time to tell the real truth behind ?You get what you pay for? It is unfortunate that the customer has to pay for services that they don?t actually receive, but maybe the consumer needs to look at how many Realtor?s they used, for pricing, counseling, legal advice, investment advice, appraising and showing homes before they chose their discount commission real estate agent. One bad real estate deal and the consumer comes back to get the service from respected real estate professional.
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> I make an fair amount of money for my job, but I make money because I love my career, take responsibility, give great service and my customers are willing to pay me for my knowledge, time, availability, integrity, ethics and experience. Realtors, lets have some confidence, not try to make a quick buck, most of us got into this business to help people, not make money and the true professionals shine. Most people who cut commissions are inexperienced and letting the pro?s do their jobs. Shame on Cindy Benton the Realtor mentioned in your article and kudo?s to Dena Calivas for standing up for her professionalism. How would you feel reading your article knowing that she gave someone a better deal than a past client for the same service. It is time people look at the big picture just like we do with our doctors, lawyers, contractors and other professionals. Your article gives us a bad name with out the facts. Let's as an industry educate them and show our Pride!
>
> Eden Jordan, Realtor, Orange Park
> Re/Max Specialists
> 1008 Park Avenue
> Orange Park, Fl 32073
> 904-269-8100